The LNG Bunkering Market is projected to register a strong CAGR during the forecast period (2026-2031).
The LNG bunkering market is a key to facilitating the shift of the maritime industry toward the low-emission and sustainable fuels. LNG bunkering is the provision of the liquefied natural gas so that it can be used in the ship as a fuel source, which is a cleaner alternative to other marine fuels like heavy fuel oil and marine diesel.
The pressure that has been mounting on the shipping industry to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases as well as the existence of regulatory requirements has boosted the uptake of LNG as a marine fuel. As opposed to the conventional fuels, LNG has a significant reduction in emission with a preservation of operational efficiency and is therefore a favorite transition fuel in the decarbonization process.
LNG bunkering volumes continue to expand as well. In Q1 2025, volumes in Rotterdam increased by 7% compared with the same period in 2024 and Singapore reported 18% growth over the first five months of 2025 versus 2024. LNG bunkering is developing rapidly in the Western Mediterranean and China too, with volumes increasing by over 60% in Shanghai in the first five months of 2025 versus that period in 2024.
Moreover, increased safety and efficiency of operation is being achieved through technological advancements in LNG storage techniques, transfer apparatuses, and bunkering techniques like ship-to-ship (STS), truck-to-ship (TTS), and terminal-to-ship. Moreover, fuel management and logistics are being improved through the use of the digital monitoring system and automation that allow to scale the LNG bunkering operations in large ports of the world.
Stringent Environmental Regulations: The introduction of stringent emission standards by the International Maritime Organization such as the IMO 2020 sulfur cap and long-term greenhouse gas reduction limit is one of the major drivers of the LNG bunkering market. These rules ensure that the amount of sulfur in marine fuels is reduced substantially, which compels the shipowners to switch to cleaner marine fuels like LNG. In contrast to traditional fuels, there is no need to have extra exhaust treatment systems that would allow achieving compliance, and LNG is a cost-effective and operationally efficient solution. With regulatory policies still becoming stricter in the world, especially in the emissions control zones (ECAs), the use of LNG as a marine fuel will gain even more momentum.
Rapid Expansion of LNG-Fueled Vessel Fleet: The growing size of the LNG-powered vessels is propelling the demand of the LNG bunkering services in the international shipping corridors. According to industry alliance SEA-LNG, the number of active LNG-powered vessels is over 2 percent of the world fleet. When the order book is considered, the figure stands at 4% in terms of vessel numbers or 6% in terms of deadweight tonnage (DWT). The large shipping firms are making investments in both the dual fuel vessels and a LNG powered ships to comply with environmental policies alongside lowering the long-term cost of operation.
In addition, based on the Greek shipbroker Intermodal data, the Evergreen order includes 14 vessels of 14,000 TEU capacity and 2-fuel LNG propulsion with a value of approximately 200 million dollars each.
Expansion of LNG Bunkering Infrastructure: The proliferation of LNG as a marine fuel is being made possible by huge investments in LNG bunkering infrastructure such as liquefaction plants, storage facilities, and dedicated bunker ships. Areas like Netherlands and Singapore have constructed enhanced bunkering facilities making them the LNG centres in the world. Further accelerating the flexibility and scalability of operations, the growing supply of ship-to-ship bunkering services and the introduction of special LNG bunker vessels are getting more popular. This infrastructure has been imperative in mitigating the supply limitations and the expanding LNG-powered fleet.
High Capital Investment Requirements: LNG bunkering infrastructure development needs large capital to invest in cryogenic storage facilities, bunker vessels, and a port adjustment. Such high start-up expenses can serve as a major entry deterrent especially to smaller ports and local competitors. Also, there is the financial risk of not knowing the long-term water usage of LNG as a marine fuel which makes the investment decisions even worse. Consequently, the major ports have continued to dominate infrastructure development, and this inhibits the provision of LNG bunkering services across the globe.
Limited Global Infrastructure Coverage: LNG bunkering infrastructure continues to be concentrated in major areas, including Europe, Asia-Pacific, and some of North America, despite the continuous investment efforts. LNG bunkering cannot be adopted globally due to the lack of facilities needed in many of the ports in developing regions. Such unequal distribution of infrastructure poses a logistical problem to shipping companies that use different routes because they have to ensure that fuel is available in various ports.
Geopolitical Risks and Supply Chain Volatility: The global supply chains within the LNG industry can be disrupted by the geopolitical tensions, especially in issues that involve states like Iran and some shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz which affect the fuel prices across the world. These interruptions may result in higher transportation, uncertainty of supply and volatility of prices, which will impact the overall economics of LNG bunkering. These dangers place emphasis on diversified sources of supply and long term contracts to stabilize the market.
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Order 5233?A (February 2025) removed a material regulatory brake on approvals and risk allocation for ship-to-ship (STS) LNG bunkering in US waters, by confirming that ship?to?ship (STS) LNG bunkering in US waters is not an “export” under the Natural Gas Act; the change has rebalanced risk for developers, although it does not itself deliver barges, tanks or a workforce.
EU standards on the deployment of an alternative fuels infrastructure require all ports in the core part of the TEN-T network to be equipped with LNG refuelling stations by 2025. LNG bunkering is already well advanced and deployed in several ports in the EU.
In Singapore, under the revised MSGI, the concession of newbuild harbour craft in the Green Port Programme (GPP) has been incorporated into a new name of Green Craft Programme (GCP) that promotes early transition to zero-emission fuel and technology, and zero- and low-carbon fuels in newbuild harbour craft, including LNG.
On June 30th, 2025, the Hong Kong Marine Department announced the launch of the Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering Incentive Scheme to facilitate the development of Hong Kong into a high-quality green maritime fuel bunkering center.
March 2026: Stolt-Nielsen Limited and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha announced that, through Stolt-Nielsen’s subsidiary Stolt-Nielsen Gas Ltd., Stolt-Nielsen has entered into a share purchase agreement to sell 50% of Avenir LNG Limited (Avenir LNG) to NYK Line. Under this collaboration, Stolt-Nielsen and NYK Line will increase their future small-scale LNG and LNG bunkering prospects as a joint venture to supply the world with the shift towards LNG and bio-LNG as a liquid marine fuel and other industrial utilization.
March 2026: GNV has made the first LNG bunkering operation to its newbuild ferry GNV Aurora in the Genoa port. The Green Zeebrugge bunkering vessel delivered the LNG via Axpo, which was already used on GNV Virgo.
January 2026: Galveston LNG Bunker Port, LLC, the Texas-based company, has entered into a strategic Heads of Agreement (HOA) with the TOTE Services, LLC, a subsidiary of TOTE Group, to build and operate specific LNG bunkering vessels. The joint venture offers the shipping sector with consistent and expansive LNG bunkering to address the increased demand in the Houston port complex.
In October 2025: Molgas Energy Group, which is supported by infrastructure investor InfraVia, has completed the entire takeover of Titan Energy Holding parent company of Titan Clean Fuels.
June 2025: TotalEnergies, a multinational integrated energy corporation, and CMA CGM Group, a multinational logistics and transport provider, have signed an agreement to create a 50/50 logistics joint venture that would be dedicated to the implementation and operation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker supply solution at the port of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands.
June 2025: Hapag-Lloyd has managed to achieve a record LNG bunkering operation by its ship Hanoi Express at Kwai Tsing Container Terminals in Hong Kong.
Ship-to-ship bunkering is the most developed and popular type of LNG bunkering that can be used in the market as the efficient means of transfer of LNG between the bunker ship and the receiving ship. This approach has great flexibility, scalability, and port congestion thus it is applicable in the large-scale commercial use. The increased use of specific LNG bunker ships by large energy corporations is also contributing to the increase in this market.
Container vessels represent the largest part of application segments in the LNG bunkering market, which are necessitated by the demand to decrease the emissions associated with the long-haul shipping operations. Regulatory compliance requirements, fuel economy advantages and the presence of LNG/powered bunkering infrastructures at leading container ports contribute to the growing use of LNG-powered container ships.
The main end users of LNG bunkering services are shipping companies because they deal with the process of fuel procurement and fleet management. These firms are also taking LNG in large numbers as a way to meet green regulations, lower emissions, and improve the effectiveness of their operations. For instance, the NYK Group has been leading the maritime industry in adopting low-carbon LNG-fueled vessels positioned to serve as a bridge solution until zero-emission fuels become a reality. The Group has achieved a world-first by constructing LNG-fueled car carriers and LNG bunkering vessels. Apart from this, strategic partnerships with energy providers are further ensuring long-term fuel supply and price stability.
The United States is the major country behind the growth of North American LNG bunkering market, as it enjoys the benefits of a vast amount of natural gas, an established liquefaction system, and regulatory encouragement of clean marine fuels. The area has seen continuous uptake of LNG in offshore support vessels, ferries and container shipping especially along the Gulf Coast and major ports like Jacksonville and Louisiana. The availability of established LNG export terminals and pipeline networks provides the stability and cost-effectiveness of LNG supply and has positioned the region well to facilitate demand in bunkering. Moreover, the clarity in the regulations of LNG bunkering operations has been motivating the infrastructure investments as well as minimizing operational risks of market participants.
Key players which support competitive landscape in North America includes Crowley Maritime Corporation which are aggressively developing LNG bunkering facilities using dedicated vessels and port-based facilities. There is also the growing integration between shipping operators and energy companies in order to create integrated LNG supply chains in the region. Nonetheless, the growth is slightly limited by low adoption beyond the main coast and supply of alternative fuels. In spite of them, North America will continue to be steady in terms of growth with the support of the continued infrastructure growth and the increasing use of LNG-powered vessels.
Europe is the most developed LNG bunkering market in the world as it is conditioned by the strict environmental requirements and the support of local authorities. Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Spain are among the countries that have positioned themselves as principal LNG bunkering centres with well developed port infrastructure and early uptake of LNG as a marine fuel. Major ports such as Rotterdam and Zeebrugge play a central role in facilitating LNG bunkering operations, offering advanced ship-to-ship and terminal-based fueling capabilities.
Close cooperation between the governments, port authorities, and energy companies is inherent to the European market which facilitates the creation of the complex LNG supply chains. Major participants like Shell plc, ENGIE SA and Total Energies SE are constructively investing in LNG bunker ships and infrastructure to take up the increasing demand. The region is also on the forefront of using bio-LNG and renewable fuels and it makes it a market leader in sustainable maritime solutions. The market is very developed and could grow in the future by additional integration of renewable fuels and also through the sustained regulation of the market.
Table 1: LNG Bunkering Vessels in Europe, 2023-2025
Country | Vessel Name | LNG Bunkering Start Year | Infrastructure Lifecycle |
Spain | Levante LNG | 2023 | Operational |
Belgium | Energy Stockholm | 2024 | Operational |
Italy | Green Pearl | 2025 | Under Construction |
Source: IGU World LNG Report - 2025
The fastest growing LNG bunkering market is Asia-Pacific, which is fueled by the rapid growth in maritime trade, building of more vessels and high governmental promotion of cleaner fuels. Singapore is the world centre in LNG bunkering, which benefits by providing high-level infrastructure, strategic positioning on the key shipping routes, and conducive regulatory environments. As an example, the first LNG bunkering of cruise passenger ships was successfully finished in Singapore Cruise Centre (SCC) in February 2025.
Moreover, on Jan 2026, MPA opened applications for additional licenses to supply LNG as marine fuel and launched the Standards for Port Limit LNG Bunker Vessels in Singapore.
Other key countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan are also investing heavily in LNG infrastructure, including bunker vessels, terminals, and LNG-powered fleets. An example is Singapore-based, Muar LNG, that is planning an integrated LNG bunkering, reloading and transshipment hub at the Maharani Freeport Industrial Park (MFIP), in Malaysia.
In addition to this, strategic projects to build green shipping lanes and to mitigate emissions of maritime transport also contribute to the development of LNG bunkering in Asia-Pacific. Large-scale energy producers and regional actors are joining together to increase LNG supply chains and further increase fuel availability at major ports. There are however some challenges that the market grapples with including the infrastructure differences between countries and also competition with alternative fuels. Although these factors are present, the Asia-Pacific region is likely to contribute the most to the growth of the global market through the high demand, growth of infrastructures, and the rising number of vessels which run on LNG.
Middle East is also becoming a strategic LNG bunkering region, taking advantage of its capacity as a major exporter of liquefied natural gas in the world. Qatar and United Arab Emirates are building LNG bunkering facilities to diversify their energy holdings and tap into a rising demand of cleaner marine fuels. For instance, Monjasa, a global top 10 marine fuels supplier, reported the first LNG bunkering to be held in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East region that occurred in January 2025 in Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal B along with Costa Cruises, which is a part of Carnival Corporation.
This time around, the Monjasa LBV Green Zeebrugge went with the Costa Smeralda (185,000 GT) cruise line ship and was able to soundly transport approximately 3,000 cubic meters of LNG.
Apart from this, some of the ports are being expanded as main LNG bunkering areas including Fujairah which is backed by the development of advanced storage and the supply chain. The high capacity of the region to produce LNG is a competitive edge and this fact ensures delivery of cheap and reliable fuel to the maritime activities.
The geopolitical factors also play a role in the Middle East market especially with major shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz which is of pivotal importance in the world energy trade. While geopolitical risks can impact supply chains and pricing, they also drive investments in infrastructure and diversification strategies. The energy companies of the region have been paying increased attention to the development of the combined LNG bunkering systems, such as ship-to-ship delivery of fuel and long-term contracts.
Shell plc
TotalEnergies SE
ExxonMobil Marine Fuels
Gasum Oy
Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS)
Harvey Gulf International Marine LLC
Crowley Maritime Corporation
GAC Group
Petronas Marine
ENGIE SA
Shell plc is broadly known to be a leader in LNG bunkering market all over the globe made possible by its LNG value chain that includes production, liquefaction, transportation and distribution. It has positioned itself well in key LNG bunkering zones like Rotterdam and Singapore where it has invested in specific LNG bunker ships and offers dependable fuel delivery to an extensive scope of marine clients. Shell has an integrated business model that allows it to provide a full-service LNG solution so that it can be efficient and consistent in providing fuel to shipping routes across the world.
An example is Pavilion Energy which is based in Singapore, and has a global LNG trading business with a volume of its contracts of about 6.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). The portfolio of LNG offtake and supply contracts, regasification capacity, and LNG bunkering business operated by Pavilion Energy are part of the acquisitions, which make Shell stronger in the LNG market.
Besides good operational capacity, Shell is also working on the production of low-carbon fuels, such as bio-LNG, to ensure that its operations are not decarbonized in the global arena. The strategic programs of the company with shipping companies and port authorities also help to reinforce the company in the market and expand LNG bunkering infrastructure and services. The innovation, sustainability, and global reach that Shell has placed itself in makes it a strong player in the LNG bunkering market.
One of the key players in the LNG bunkering market is TotalEnergies SE which has the ability to offer their customers marine fuel solutions through their global portfolio of energy and their solid LNG supply capabilities. The company has come up with LNG bunkering operations in major areas such as Europe and Asia-Pacific with major ports like Rotterdam and Singapore being of interest. TotalEnergies have also invested in LNG bunker vessels and infrastructure in order to fuel the increasing demand of LNG as a marine fuel.
In line with this, TotalEnergies is the world’s third largest LNG player with a global portfolio of 40 Mt/y in 2024 owing to its interests in liquefaction plants in all geographies. The Company benefits from an integrated position across the LNG value chain, including production, transportation, access to more than 20 Mt/y of regasification capacity in Europe, trading, and LNG bunkering.
Moreover, the groundbreaking of the Middle East’s first LNG bunkering hub by TotalEnergies SE marks a significant milestone in the global maritime energy transition. The project, known as the Marsa LNG facility, is being developed in partnership with Oman’s OQ Exploration and Production at the Port of Sohar in Oman, with a planned liquefaction capacity of around 1 million tonnes per annum and expected commencement of operations by 2028.
The company is actively working on the achievement of sustainability measures by investing in renewable LNG and low-carbon energy solutions, becoming one of the central players in the process of decarbonization of the maritime industry. With the help of strategic partnerships with shipping firms and other logistics, TotalEnergies is increasing its LNG bunkering network and improving fuel accessibility.
Gasum Oy is a major LNG bunkering supplier in Northern Europe and highly concentrated in Nordic and Baltic areas. The company has a well-developed system of LNG terminals and bunkers vessels that are able to provide efficient and reliable supply of fuel to maritime clients. Gasum has become a major participant in the European LNG bunkering business through its provision of flexible fueling services and high level of sustainability.
As of August 2025, Gasum’s vessel Coralius performed its 1000th safe and successful bunkering operation. Coralius is a liquefied gas bunkering vessel and can bunker both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied biogas (bio-LNG).
| Report Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Forecast Unit | USD Billion |
| Growth Rate | Ask for a sample |
| Study Period | 2021 to 2031 |
| Historical Data | 2021 to 2024 |
| Base Year | 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2026 – 2031 |
| Segmentation | Method, Vessel Type, Capacity, Geography |
| Geographical Segmentation | Americas, Europe Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific |
| Companies |
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